Advertisement

Indonesian landslide kills at least 10, with unknown number missing

  • At least four victims who were buried in the East Java landslide triggered by torrential downpours were children
  • Rescuers on Monday found bodies under as much as six metres of mud and were searching for the people still missing

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
A portion of the village of Selopuro, East Java, was buried in the landslide. Photo: EPA-EFE
Torrential rains triggered a landslide on Indonesia’s main island of Java that killed at least 10 people, with rescuers digging desperately with their bare hands and farm tools on Monday to locate at least 14 missing people, including four children, officials said.
Advertisement

Dozens of soldiers, police and volunteers took part in the search in the village of Selopuro in East Java’s Nganjuk district, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Raditya Jati said.

The mud that rolled down from surrounding hills late on Sunday struck at least 10 houses, injuring 14 people and leaving an unknown number buried under tons of mud. Two were rescued that day.

At least 186 people from 60 families have been evacuated to safer places.

Rescuers carry the body of a landslide victim pulled out from the ruins of a house in Selopuro. Photo: EPA-EFE
Rescuers carry the body of a landslide victim pulled out from the ruins of a house in Selopuro. Photo: EPA-EFE
Advertisement

Rescuers on Monday found bodies buried under as much as six metres (20 feet) of mud and were searching for the people still missing, Nganjuk district chief Novi Rahman Hidayat said. Heavy equipment arrived later to help in the search.

loading
Advertisement